North Korea Launches Cruise Missiles Off West Coast – Seoul, Reuters

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea launched several cruise missiles off its west coast on Friday, according to South Korea’s military, marking the fourth missile launch in just over a week from both the east and west coasts of the country.

The South Korean military reported that the launch occurred around 11 a.m. local time but did not provide additional information.

Since last week, North Korea has claimed that it has tested “strategic” cruise missiles, suggesting they could potentially be designed to carry nuclear weapons.

Earlier this week, state media indicated that the country had tested its new submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCM), with leader Kim Jong Un present to oversee the launch. These missiles reportedly bore the same markings as those used for land-based launches.

South Korea’s military has observed that North Korea appears to be conducting these tests to enhance their missile capabilities.

This latest launch followed an inspection by Kim at a shipyard in the port city of Nampho on Friday morning, where he emphasized the importance of strengthening naval forces as part of “war preparations,” according to state reports.

During his visit to the dockyard, which is a military shipbuilding base, Kim emphasized that bolstering naval strength is essential for advancing war readiness.

Kim received updates on the construction of various warships as part of a “huge plan” set forth by North Korean leadership, although details were not shared.

On Monday, state media reported that Kim inspected the construction of a nuclear submarine and discussed the production of other new warships, again without going into specifics.

In 2021, at a major ruling party meeting, Kim outlined plans to enhance the military’s capabilities, including the development of nuclear submarines and underwater drones for potential nuclear strikes.

In recent months, North Korea has tested various weapons, including developing ballistic missile systems and an underwater drone.

North Korea has accused the United States and South Korea of escalating tensions through extensive military exercises, which it claims has necessitated its own preparations for possible nuclear conflict.

On Friday, the U.S. Special Operations Command announced the completion of joint training exercises with South Korea’s special operations forces.